The Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts announced a lineup for its 2016-17 season on Monday night that is clearly befitting Queen’s University’s 175^th anniversary.

The season's highlights include the new multi-genre Bader and Overton International Violin Festival, featuring internationally acclaimed violinists such as Ashley MacIsaac, James Ehnes, Viktoria Mullova and Pinchas Zukerman, a new Human Rights Arts Festival featuring Measha Brueggergosman and a collaboration with Toronto International Film Festival and Human Rights Watch, and world premieres by Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Alison Mackay, John Burge, Craig Walker, and Marjan Mozetich.

Also, the Piano, Ensemble, Jazz and Global Salon Series will present a diversity of outstanding artists.

New this year is the Isabel Overton Bader Canadian Violin Competition that will award violinists between 18 and 29 years old with the Marion Overton Dick Memorial Prize, worth $20,000, and the opportunity to perform with the Kingston Symphony and a recital on the Isabel stage.

“Queen’s University is celebrating its 175^th anniversary in 2016-17, and Canada its sesquicentennial. With this inspiration, we have created new festivals and a violin competition, attracted fantastic artists to the Isabel stage, and are supporting a number of Canadian world premieres,” says Tricia Baldwin, Director of the Isabel. “It has been thrilling to develop this season, and we’re excited to announce it to our audience and beyond.”

The season was announced with a short performance by Queen’s Music’s Gisèle Dalbec Szczesniak (violin) and Michel Szczesniak (piano), followed by a special screening of the feature film The Red Violin.

For complete details on the 2016‐17 season, visit theisabel.ca. Subscriptions for the 2016-17 season are now available. Call The Isabel’s box office at 613‐533‐2424 (Monday-Friday, 12:30‐4:30 pm).

Situated on the shores of Lake Ontario, the award‐winning Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts brings together exceptional arts spaces and programs with a captivating sense of place to create a dynamic venue for Queen’s students and the community. In addition to the Performance Hall, the other spaces in the 90,000 square foot venue include a studio theatre, a film screening room and a music rehearsal hall. Embracing the principles of interactivity and integration, the School of Drama and Music and the Department of Film and Media share teaching and performance spaces within the Isabel. The Isabel was designed by Oslo/New York-based firm Snøhetta and Ottawa’s N45, with acoustics and theatre design by ARUP and Theatre Projects Consultants. Anchored by a transformational gift to the Initiative Campaign from Drs. Alfred and Isabel Bader, the Isabel was inspired by the Bader’s love – of the arts, of Queen’s, and of each other – and is named in Isabel’s honour.